asked the Taoiseach the date on which the appointment of the head of the Government Information Services was made; the identity of the person appointed; and the responsibilities assigned to him.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Information Services Head.
1.
Mr. James R. Kelly was appointed Head of the Government Information Services with effect from 6 October 1980.
Mr. Kelly is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the services and for the co-ordination of press and information work on behalf of Government Departments.
Is the Taoiseach aware that it was the intention of his immediate predecessor to suppress this position in the public service and are we to take it from his reply that this represents yet another reversal of the policy of his predecessor?
I have no knowledge of any such intention on the part of my predecessor.
I suggest that the Taoiseach should refer to the Dáil debates on this matter. Has any instruction been given by him to the head of the GIS to prevent any repetition of the abuse of this position for party political purposes as happened during the Donegal by-election?
It ill behoves any member of a Coalition party to talk about abuse of the Government Information Services.
A final supplementary.
Is the Taoiseach confirming to the House that since the Donegal by-election he has not said one word, good, bad or indifferent to the head of the GIS about the performance of his functions and the limitations of his functions in serving the Government of the day and not the party who form the Government of the day?
The only instruction I gave to the head of the Government Information Services was to be as helpful and as co-operative as possible to the media in supplying them with information from Government Departments.
Question No. 2.
(Interruptions.)
The Donegal papers have said that information was supplied without request.
Would the Taoiseach reply to Deputy Harte?
I have called the next question.
The Taoiseach was contradicted locally by Donegal people.
Disorderly opposition.